“Overall, the safety trend for the group during FY2003 improved consistently. Key to this was the introduction of the internationally recognised NOSA safety system at the South African operations and a move toward an integrated group health, safety and environmental system where all parties are accountable,” comments Johann Engels, group human resources manager.

    He goes on to add, “On the safety front, focus has been shifted to primary care, as a direct result of the correlation between dressing station cases and the subsequent increase in serious accidents. An increase in the frequency, albeit not the magnitude, of seismic events has also translated into a heightened sense of working more safely. Much emphasis has been placed on the necessity to eradicate a sense of complacency or willingness to work in sub-standard conditions.”

    On the whole, all DRD operations showed an improvement in safety with Blyvoor winning the Association of West Rand Mines Inter-Mine Safety Shield for the fifth year in succession and North West Operations achieving one million fatality-free shifts in February 2003. ERPM encountered a number of challenges, most notably an underground fire in February 2003. Ultimately, the plan is to realise a situation where there are zero fatalities at any of DRD’s operations. Regrettably, 18 employees lost their lives at DRD operations during FY2003. Also, the issuing of four Section 54s and 170 Section 55s by the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) whereby a temporary work stoppage is ordered, proved that the systems in place were not adequate. The Chief Inspector of Mines, Ms May Hermanus, visited the North West Operations during the period under review, issued a warning and requested that certain measures be put in place to rectify an increase in serious accidents at DRD’s North West Operations. To this end, a tripartite agreement has been effected by the DME, DRD and labour to not only rectify the situation, but improve on it.

    A group-wide audit – scheduled for completion by end July 2003 – is being conducted to assess risks and propose a uniform guideline for the management of safety going forward. Primary causes of serious accidents for the period under review were falls of ground (FOG) and tramming and shaft accidents.

    With reference to occupational health, which is monitored both internally and externally, DRD is currently in the process of outsourcing much of its health care. At Blyvoor, all health care is contracted out to AngloGold Health Services (AHS), which affords employees a wide range of services at an affordable cost to both the company and its staff. Services offered include a comprehensive health care system including an AIDS wellness programme as well as 24 hour emergency services. It is envisaged that this system will be replicated at the North West Operations. With costs of around R16 per capita, investigations are under way to put away R10 of this cost in an exclusive DRD Fund, to cover the cost of antiretroviral treatment (ART) in the future. ERPM’s health care is outsourced to Afrox Health Care Services, while Tolukuma makes use of in-house health care facilities.

    According to Engels, “The AHS AIDS programme offers an all encompassing lifestyle programme, focused on prevention, peer education, counsellor training and a wellness programme for those infected with, or affected by, HIV. Much of this work is done in collaboration with the local council and communities.”

    While the jury is still out as to whether the South African Government is going to supply ART, DRD believes this would be fruitful, and a solution which does not impact on the bottom line too negatively. In the event that an employee becomes too ill to work, the employee is repatriated to his/her hometown and DRD will undertake to offer employment to a relative of the employee. Should the employee come from a rural village, The Employment Bureau of Africa (TEBA) is contacted to assist with this repatriation, with DRD covering the cost of this exercise. In addition, the employee receives medical cover for a full year after returning home. In the event that an employee is unable to walk, the company will endeavour, under the auspices of TEBA, to convert the home to facilitate wheelchair access.

    “To ensure efficient management of health and safety at DRD, a comprehensive health and safety policy has been adopted and endorsed by all operations in collaboration with labour. Furthermore, all fatal accidents are reviewed at corporate level to ascertain the cause and propose suitable remedial action across all business units. Weekly and monthly formal meetings are held to constantly assess and re-assess whether the systems in place are adequate and working, and the incentive bonus scheme is likely to be linked to safety performance,” Engels concludes.